Celerity Achieves ISO 14001 Accreditation

Celerity is delighted to announce that in addition to retaining the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard for a further year, it has now also achieved the ISO:14001 Environmental Management Standard, strengthening the organisation’s continued commitment to quality delivery whilst managing and reducing business impacts on the environment.
This independent assessment was conducted by a leading Certification Body, the British Assessment Bureau and recognises Celerity as an environmentally responsible business, committed to reducing environmental impacts and meeting expectations for sustainable success.

ISO 14001:2004 was first introduced in 1996 as a British Standard and requires organisations to adopt an environmental policy and action plan to manage their impact on their environment. Certified organisations are committed to continuous improvement and are assessed annually to ensure progress is being maintained.

Now an internationally accepted standard, ISO 14001 acknowledges that Celerity has implemented an effective environmental management system and as a business can remain commercially successful without overlooking its environmental responsibilities. The standard also ensures that as the company grows, environmental impact will not grow alongside it. ISO 14001 provides the framework to allow Celerity to meet increasingly high customer expectations and demands of corporate responsibility as well as legal or regulatory requirements.

During a time when virtualisation, consolidation, energy efficiency and sustainability are all key priorities on the IT agenda as organisations strive to achieve environmental excellence, the ISO 14001 certification proves Celerity’s long term commitment to the environment together with good practice and the ability to help other companies meet their own environmental objectives. Celerity commits to continue encouragement of reducing the company’s carbon footprint which will contribute positively to the natural environment.

Chris Wilson, Commercial Director said,

"We are delighted to have achieved ISO:14001 accreditation as we feel we have a moral duty to help ease pressure on the environment. To be recognised by this international standard confirms our commitment to contribute positively to our natural environment. This goes hand-in-hand with a lot of work we do for our clients. Consolidating and virtualising their datacenter’s infrastructures provides them with huge cost and efficiency savings as well as reducing their carbon footprints by dramatically cutting their power usage."

To see more information please visit http://www.celerity-uk.com/news/214/celerity-achieves-iso-14001-accreditation

IBM FlashSystem

Celerity - [suh-ler-i-tee]. Noun. Swiftness; speed.

 So, what would happen if Celerity were to be coupled with IBM's new FlashSystems?
Our Technical Headquarters excitedly took delivery of some new toys last month and have since been playing, training and testing 2 IBM FlashSystem boxes ever since. If all goes to plan then next month we aim to take over the world!  Well ok, these FlashSystem boxes might not be quite that good, but they are certainly making us explore the new opportunities that are available to clients now that we have them in our possession.

 

 

HDDs may be getting bigger but they are not getting faster. We all know that SSDs are much faster than HDDs, but they cannot realise their potential because they are stuck behind a slow disc interface. Late last year IBM acquired solid state veterans of 34 years Texas Memory Systems for their flash memory based systems, later to be re-named IBM FlashSystems as part of the IBM System Storage portfolio. IBM’s flash memory storage arrays remove the bottlenecks of HDDs and SSDs which greatly speeds up access to your data held on flashcards containing the fastest 32nm Toshiba flash chips. The flashcards use DRAM as a buffer to help achieve up to 570,000 read IOPS with less than 100 ms latency. With 4 models offering up to 24 TB storage in a 1U enclosure using less than 400 watts, it offers one of the industry’s best IOPS per watt ratio.

 

IBM Flash System arrays give reliability; small footprint, low power consumption and low latency that makes them perfect to accelerate Oracle, DB2, SQL databases, VDI and critical applications on Windows, Linux and AIX. Reduced I/O wait time can increase CPU efficiency allowing more to be done in less time, resulting in a lower total cost of ownership. To get the performance of a FlashSystem using traditional HDD arrays would need the equivalent of up to 750 HDDs, with all the power, cooling and space requirements to go along with them!

 

IBM FlashSystems are built for micro latency. They let you access your data fast, but they can also integrate with IBM’s SAN Volume Controller (SVC) and IBM Storwize V7000 to allow extra features such as easy tier, preferred read and manual data placement, to give a huge boost in performance by storing hot data on the faster flashcards, and cool data on slower cheaper HDDs and SSDs. This means that they can be dropped into your existing data centre to give you that increase in performance whilst still keeping existing storage.

 

 

 

The lower capacity (1–10TB) 710 and 720 arrays use single level cell (SLC) chips which offer a 33x improvement in endurance over some vendor’s multi-level cell (MLC) chips. The higher capacity (6-24TB) 810 and 820 arrays use Enterprise-grade eMLC chips; which typically offer 10x greater chip longevity on writes over that of standard MLC. Endurance is improved and systems are protected with; ECC at chip level; Variable stripe RAID (VSR - to protect against chip failure); 2D flash Raid (eliminates single point of failure); wear levelling and over provisioning. Hot swappable parts and the 2 management NICs on the 720 and 820 give them enterprise reliability and with the on-board batteries data can be written to the flash chips in the event of a power outage.

 

The low TCO and high ROI of IBM FlashSystems means that your business will perform better and allow you to pursue new opportunities using your existing hardware and software - you’re undoubtedly missing out if you do not at least consider flash memory technology to enhance your storage environment.

 

Please contact a Celerity Representative for more information on IBM FlashSystems.

IBM FLASHSYSTEM ASSESSMENT FOR ORACLE

 Submit a 1 hour Oracle AWR, or Statspack report and we will provide you with a FREE detailed performance assessment to demonstrate how much of an improvement FlashSystems can bring to your organisation. You can then actually experience these benefits in your own environment with a 2 week on-site trial of the equipment – what have you got to lose?

 

John Carson - Technical Consultant - Celerity Limited

Contact

- See more at: http://www.celerity-uk.com/news/212/ibm-flashsystem#sthash.XiSKXBmT.dpuf

Veeam Backups with Data Domain

Posted on: 08/08/13

 

Celerity recently implemented an EMC Data Domain into our own environment for use as our main backup storage device and because our infrastructure is primarily virtualised we use Veeam as our backup solution of choice. After some initial testing we have found that using Data Domain as your backup storage in combination with Veeam can help you cut costs and improve data retention.

 

Veeam, as a standalone product, is extremely good which is why it is the #1 VM backup solution on the market, but when combined with the power of Data Domain it can be even better.

 

The major limitation with Veeam is that deduplication is limited to the virtual machines within each individual backup job. Veeam suggest that you keep similar machines in the same backup job, which works well for the OS files, but what about all that data spread across multiple backup jobs? And, what happens if you want to run an ad-hoc backup on a single machine?

 

Limitations within Veeam mean you must run a full job which could contain multiple virtual machines to get a backup of the virtual machine you want.

 

And so, this is where a deduplication storage system such as Data Domain comes into its own. It allows you to deduplicate globally across all virtual machine backups regardless of the job they are in. This means you can group your backups into smaller sub-jobs, or have singular backups for certain machines, without impacting on the amount of storage that would otherwise be required.

In essence what this means is that you can backup more machines, more of the time while using less space.

 

A Data Domain storage solution does not just benefit Veeam, it can also be used to backup physical machines to further reduce storage requirements for backups. You also have access to all of the other features Data Domain has to offer such as replication to another Data Domain device for offsite backups or for use as a Virtual Tape Library, which may be of interest with the release of Veeam Backup and Replication v7.

 

When time allows, I intend to do some further testing on the difference between regular Veeam backups and Data Domain to obtain the required information to confirm my initial findings, the results of which I will include in a future article.

 

Should you require to discuss your requirements please do not hesitate to contact a Celerity representative.

 

Barry Knox - Technical Consultant - Celerity Limited

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See more at www.celerity-uk.com/news

Endpoint Manager for Core Protection

Antivirus and anti-malware is a necessary evil in today’s world and is a standard deployment in all organisations. IBM’s Endpoint Manager for Core Protection offers more than standard AV and anti-malware products while using fewer resources than many of its competitors.

Some bloated AV products consume more CPU, network bandwidth and may need many dedicated servers to achieve less than Endpoint Manager for Core Protection. It does this by using IBM Endpoint Manager’s powerful and versatile, yet lightweight delivery and management infrastructure. This also includes patch management to keep all of your protected computers installed software up-to-date. At its heart is a version of Trend Micro’s Office Scan whose cloud based database gives up-to-date real time protection using a variety of methods to keep all of your Windows and Mac platforms protected.

IBM Endpoint Manager for Core Protection stops threats before they arrive by checking files, URLs and emails for malicious potential in real time.
Source: ibm.com

 

Features include:

• Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware, Endpoint Firewall, Patch Management, Asset Discovery, Compliance Management and Optional Data Loss Prevention and Device Control to protect your network from all angles.

• File, web and email reputation along with behaviour monitoring for anti-virus and anti-malware. Provided by Trend Micro, who have 25 years’ experience in business security.

• Virtualisation aware. Scanned and certified gold images only need changes rescanned during duplication to speed up scanning time in VDI environments. Serialises scans of Citrix XenDesktop and VMware View virtual endpoints to avoid antivirus storms.

• Lightweight threat protection. Using the cloud to reduce the amount of data held on endpoints. Putting less strain on endpoints and networks whilst giving them the latest threat information.

Optional Data Protection

To help enforce organisational security policies IBM’s Endpoint Manager for Core Protection offers an optional Data Loss Protection plug-in. This adds dlp and device control to safeguard your data against accidental or deliberate loss.

Not only can it regulate, log access to drives, USB devices, ports based on security and user policies, but it can identify files based on attributes, keywords and patterns. This can ensure that sensitive data is controlled to allow organisations to comply with data privacy laws.

Please contact a Celerity Representative for more information on Endpoint Manager for Core Protection.

John Carson - Technical Consultant - Celerity Limited

What's New in Veeam Backup and Replicate Version 7

 

Posted on: 18/07/13

 

Nearly two years ago I wrote an article evangelising about Veeam Backup and Replication, having discovered what a powerful and simple to use product it was. Since then as a company we have used it in anger and tested it to the point of destruction and it has still never let us down.

 

Veeam has recently announced some enhancements and new features for Version 7, which is expected to be available sometime in Q3 of this year. Some of these new features are going to allow us to protect our data more thoroughly than ever before.

 

It is recommended that a reliable backup strategy should include at least three copies of your data using at least two different formats and at least one off-site backup. Veeam Version 7 has now made it so much easier to get backups offsite;

 

1. Native tape support has been added in Version 7 with support for virtual tape libraries (VTLs), tape libraries and standalone drives. Most people would probably agree that tape is still a reassuringly essential part of their backup strategy so this added feature will most probably be well received.

 

2. Backup copy jobs will allow backup files to be copied to other locations without the need for additional backup jobs, copy scripts or storage replication.

 

3. Built-in WAN acceleration is a feature included with Version 7 which overcomes the obstacles of limited bandwidth when copying backups offsite across WAN links. With caching, variable-length deduplication and optimisations for transferring Veeam backups across the WAN, Veeam claim that it is up to 50x faster than a standard file copy and easy to use. There are no agents to install and no network setup.

 

These are only a few of the new features which will be included with Veeam Backup and Replicate Version 7. There will be a total of seven new features and over fifty enhancements. Some of the new features will only be available in the new Enterprise Plus edition but if you have already purchased Enterprise edition licenses before 1st July, you will get all the Version 7 features for free when it becomes available.

 

To find out more about the enhancements in Version 7, go to http://go.veeam.com/v7

 

Should you require more information on Veeam please contact a Celerity Representative.

 

Malcolm Smith - Technical Consultant - Celerity Limited

 

- See more at: http://www.celerity-uk.com/news/204/whats-new-in-veeam-backup-and-replicate-version-7#sthash.e11wt0HR.dpuf

Tape-v-Disk Technology By Neil Murphy, Celerity Limited

Ever since I have been working in the storage and backup sector of the IT industry, for some 10 years now, people have been stating that “tape is dead”. Some firms have even gone as far as naming their companies along those lines, such as Sepaton, an American based company that deals with disk-based solutions; read it backwards, ‘sepaton = notapes’. There has been an increasing move to disk based solutions. Especially when working alongside some form of de-duplication and compression technology, meaning that you can get a lot more of your data on a lot less disks, and the cost of disks is constantly lowering making it the more viable and cost effective option. Why then would large OEM’s such as IBM, HP, Quantum, Sony, Fujifilm to name but a few, continue to invest huge sums of money in the research and development of a technology that is no longer considered practical? The answer is quite simple; tape-based backup solutions are still, and will continue to be, a huge factor in a corporation’s backup and recovery infrastructure.

Evolving Storage Needs
IT storage managers are expected to manage and protect data with constrained resources while dealing with increased expectations, tighter budgets, increased regulations and heightened security concerns. Businesses are also increasingly focused on total cost of ownership and rising energy costs.

• Data is at risk and must be protected – there is a myriad of potential data destructors: system error, theft, hackers, viruses, sabotage and natural disaster
• Data is growing exponentially - some say by 50% or more each year
• Business environment is constantly changing - increasing budget challenges and customer demands
• Need to store more data for longer periods - information is key to an organisation's success

Tape and Disk Together
The ideal solution is an infrastructure that incorporates both disk and tape formats, each working alongside one another. Tape works well with disk solutions to address different needs. Disk can help with fast backup and retrieval for high performance application needs. However, according to a University of California-Santa Cruz three month study, more than 90% of disk stored data was typically never accessed again, and another 6.5% was only accessed once. This data could be stored on cost-effective tape. Tape is well-suited for this type of data as it is a less expensive and less energy-consuming storage medium. Once data becomes infrequently accessed it should be moved to tape.

Technology Diversification
It is important to have copies on different forms of media to avoid a media or system process disaster. In this case, a mixture of disk and tape, perhaps in a disk-to-disk-to-tape environment. A data protection plan must incorporate a copy of critical data that is stored offline and offsite. Offline data can protect from system errors, hackers and viruses. The data should also be offsite. That way, in the event of a site-wide disaster, the offsite copy of data can be used to recover. These are part of backup and data protection best practices. So, it seems that despite what some might say, tape is still going to be with us for some time. In fact, if you do a generic search on LTO technology, the results show that LTO-7 and LTO-8 are already in the pipeline:

 

With this in mind, what does LTO-6 offer that earlier incarnations couldn’t?

HUGE TAPE CAPACITY
Up to 6.25TB (assuming 2.5:1 compression). One LTO-6 tape can hold the data of more than three LTO-4 tapes

BLAZING SPEED
LTO Ultrium-6 technology has up to 400 MB/s data transfer rates (assuming 2.5:1 compression) to improve efficiency which is over 1.4TB per hour of blazing backup performance per drive.

COMPATIBILITY
LTO-6 drives are designed with backwards-compatible read-and-write capability with LTO-5 cartridges, and backward read capabilities with LTO-4 cartridges, protecting investments and easing implementation.

WORM (Write Once Read Many)
LTO WORM tape support helps address compliance requirements

DATA SECURITY
Tape drive-based 256-bit AES encryption helps protect sensitive information.

LTO-6 WITH LTFS
One of the exciting features available with the LTO-5 and LTO-6 tape drives is the Linear Tape File System (LTFS). LTFS gives LTO-5 and LTO-6 users the ability to use tape in a fashion like disk or other removable storage media for outstanding management and usability. The Linear Tape File System (LTFS) is the first file system that works in conjunction with LTO tape technology to set a new standard for ease of use and portability for open systems tape storage. With this system, accessing data stored on an LTO tape cartridge is as easy and intuitive as using a USB flash drive. And with the operating system's graphical file manager and directory tree, utilising data on an LTO tape cartridge is as easy as dragging and dropping.

• LTO-5 and LTO-6 specifications enable the capability for two media partitions which can be independently accessed to help provide faster data access and improved data management
• With LTFS, one partition holds the content and the other holds the content’s index; the tape can be self-describing to improve archive management
• Enables capabilities that manage files directly on tape allowing for easy sharing of the tape cartridge across platforms
• Makes viewing and accessing tape files easier than ever before. Explore tape content with directory tree structures and drag and drop files to and from the tape
• Addresses the growing needs of a variety of marketplace segments with rich media such as Media and Entertainment, Medical, Digital Surveillance, Seismic Exploration, Government, Cloud and more!

You can drag and drop files from your server to the tape, see the list of saved files using a standard operating system directory (no backup software catalogue needed), and use point and click to restore. To implement this feature, you simply need to download and install the LTFS software on your host machine, usually provided by the tape drive vendor of your choice. So, with these types of technological advances being available with LTO-5 and LTO-6 media, it is very interesting to see what features might be available with the next generation of LTO technology. Watch this space!

Should you have any storage requirements please contact a Celerity Representative. www.celerity-uk.com

Neil Murphy - Principal Consultant - Celerity Limited

To Outsource or Not to Oursource

Nearly everyone who works in the services industry has at some point heard the term Outsourcing more than once and can bring fear amongst some fellow workers. But is it really what we expect it to be? Do we believe that outsourcing is the end game of in-house services? I for one don’t believe it is. Times have changed in the outsourcing arena; the attitude of 'them and us' seems to be a thing of the past. The arena is no longer a seated event where the customer sits as a spectator and the outsourcer is watched as the main event. It's more open these days, the event is interactive where the customer and the outsourcer are part of the same story. The key to a successful partnership when outsourcing services can never be just one thing. The foundation of a relationship needs to be laid for something to grow. Understanding each other and working closely as a function are primary aims for any successful partnership. Boundaries need to be defined, with a clear understanding of what is to be expected in the relationship. Overcoming the fear and lack of understanding of an outsource relationship can be complex and emotional for both partners. How we perceive the other is sometimes blurred and castles can quickly be built as personal protection. It is important that we understand why outsourcing is needed and if it is right for you and your business, because sometimes the easy answer is not always the best. There are many benefits to an outsourcing service and with a simple Google search you will find a plethora of do’s and don’ts when outsourcing. But sometimes a business finds itself in a position that has become untenable through resource, cash flow or function break down. Turning to outsourcing can be seen as a way of resolving this position, and rightly so; after all outsourcing is a service that helps. A good service provider will work closely with your business to understand the culture of your business, the needs and most importantly why you require this service. Also a good service provider will know its weakness and know your strengths and be able to work closely to maximise both and encourage the growth of the relationship. The fear of outsourcing is enforced by the horror stories of others who have ventured the path of outsourcing, and let’s be honest you’re more likely to notice these rather than the successful ones. Having worked in the industry for many years I have seen both and worked on both sides as the outsourcer and customer. During this time I have seen the many benefits outsourcing has brought, not just the cost saving it brings but also the on tap expertise and the flexibility needed. Being able to call up resource for key projects as well as the normal operation of the day to day business has been invaluable. Knowing you have access to such services reduces the workload of tenders and trying to find a suitable resource to carry out work, has enabled me to focus on more key business needs and help reduce my overhead costs of engaging new resource. So would I use outsourcing again? The question is relevantly simple as is the answer. With a growing need to be flexible in a business and focus on the core business drivers, outsourcing has enabled the business functions to deliver so many times. If I am in a position where the core business is different from that project that needs to be done or business function; then I would certainly use the outsourcing route. Of course only the business can decide if the outsourcing route is the best approach for its needs. Speaking to an outsourcer in a non-formal, very open way can certainly help you make those decisions. Therefore, if you find your business is in need of something that is outside its core business or skill set then don’t dismiss outsourcing; it could be just what your business needs. For further information please contact Celerity Limited Bill Guile, Technical Service Delivery Manager - Celerity Limited See More at http://www.celerity-uk.com/